Repetition-action for pianos.



PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

J. SGHAAF.

REPETITION ACTION FOR PIANOS APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

REPETITION-ACTION FOR PIANOS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed November 22,1904.- Serial No. 233,818-

, for pianos, and particularly for uprightpi- .butt 6, pivoted at e anos, and has for its object to provide an improved repetition-action which will always stop the rebound of the hammers at the same distance from the strings irrespective of the quality of the touch.

The invention consists, primarily, in a new arrangement of the checking device which arrests the rebound 'of the hammer, said checking device comprising a back-check, which is supported independently instead of being pivotally carried by the actuating-lever or wippen, as has been customary hitherto.

Reference is to be had. to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of so much of my improved action as is necessary to disclose my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken substantially in a horizontal plane through the checking device.

A indicates the part of the frame known as the action-rail. To this rail is pivoted, as at d, the actuatingdever or wippen d, which receives its movement from the key in the usual way through the medium of a lifter.-

The key and lifter are not shown in the drawings. To the wippen is pivoted at m the jack m, which is underthe influence of the spring m The upper end of the jack engages the customary recess in the hammer- The engagement of the jack with the hammer-butt is controlled in the usual way by means of an adjustable stop B. The hammer-shank e is adapted to rest against the hammer-rail O and carries the hammer proper or head e adapted to engage the string D. This string is also adapted to be engaged by the damper E, secured to the damper-wire E, which is carried by the lever E fulcrumed at E upon a bracket proj ecting from the action-rail A. The damper is pressed toward the string by a spring F and is temporarily forced away from the string by the projection d carried by the wippen d.

The checking device for arresting the rebound of the hammer, so as to permit a quick repetition of the same note, consists of a stem 6 projected from the butt 0 away from the string and carrying at its free end a check f, which I term a counter-check and which is connected in the usual way to a flexible connection f.

I further provide a back-check (1, carried by a lever b, which is fulcrumed at 0 upon a stationary rail G. This lever 12 has two arms projecting therefrom about horizontally, one of these arms it having a loop 7c, to which is attached a wire or other flexible connection Z, connected with the wippen (Z. The other arm 9 of the lever b is located in the path of a button or projection i, which is adjustably secured to the wippen d. Normally that is, in the position of total restthe back-check a is not in the path of the check f, and the button i is separated from the lever-arm g, while the flexible connection Z is taut, all as shown in Fig. 1. The opposing surfaces of the check f and back-check a, which are adapted to engage each other in the manner more fully to be set forth presently, are preferably so constructed that one of them will fit into the other at the time of their engagement. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the back check might have a concavesurface and the checkf a convex one when viewed. in crosssection, or, as represented in Fig. 3, the backcheck a might have a V-shaped recess, while the check f has a corresponding triangular or wedge-shaped form. The transverse recess forms a groove extending lengthwise of the counter-check. The reverse arrangement might of course be employed.

When the wippen d is raised. by the operation of the key, the hammer will be thrown against the string in the usual manner, and toward the end of the upward movement of the wippen the button i will come in contact with the lever-arm 9, thus throwing the backcheck toward the strings and into the path of the counter-check f on the rebounding hammer. The check f and back-check a thus coming into frictional engagement, the hammer will be arrested and held stationary at a relatively short distance from the string, so that in case the same key is pressed again a quick repetition of the note may be obtained. When the wippen d returns to its normal position, the wire or string Z will be drawn taut and the back-check a will thus be drawn back to its initial position. The proportion of these parts should be such that the back-check a will not be drawn back to Carr-AL its original position Lmtil the jack in has been reengaged with the shoulder on the hammer butt 6.

Owing to the checking of the hammer during its rebound, a note may be repeated very quickly, and owing to the fact that the backcheck a is not carried directly by the wippen d, but is supported independently of the wippen, the operation of said back-check is entirely independent of the touch and the hammer will always be caught at the same distance from the string whether a light touch or a strong touch is used.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention. Other means may be used instead of the flexible connection Z in order to return the back-check a to its normal position.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a piano-action the combination with the hammer having a counter-check, of a back-check adapted to cooperate with said counter-check, a lever b pivoted on the frame and carrying said back-check, said lever being provided with two operating-arms g and h, a wippen d, an operating member i carried by the wippen d and adapted to engage one of said operating-arms g to throw the back check into the path of the counter-check, and a flexible connection Z secured to the other operating-arm 7c and to the wippen to withdraw the back-check from the path of the counter-check, at the termination of the downward movement of the wippen.

2. In a piano-action, the combination with the pivoted hammer carrying a countercheck of a back-check adapted to cooperate with said counter-check, one of said checks being grooved to receive and center the other, the axis of the groove being in a plane at right angles to the axis of the hammer-pivot, and means for throwing the back-check into and out of the path of the counter-check.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAKOB SOHAAF. Witnesses:

EDUARD ROUGE, JEAN GRUND. 

